Skin cleaning preparations containing a HLB 10-19 non-ionic emulsifier and a thickening agent

ABSTRACT

A preparation for the hygiene and the cleaning of skin, scalp and hair, essentially comprising 5.0% to 10.0% of an emulsifying agent containing an HLB 10-19 nonionic emulsifier and 0.5 to 5.0% of a thickening agent consisting of organic substances forming with the water gels or colloidal solutions. Such a preparation is endowed with a mild and delicate cleaning action, and is surprisingly lacing of any irritating effect.

This application is a Continuation of Application Ser. No. 740,293,filed May31, 1985, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,016, which in turn was aContinuation of Ser. No. 572,942, filed Jan. 23, 1984, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a preparation for the hygiene and thecleaning of the skin, the scalp and the hair.

It is known that the basic components of the presently commerciallyavailable preparations for the hygiene and the cleaning of the skin and,more particularly, of the scalp and of the hair, are the detergentcompounds of ionic type.

It is also known that the action of these compounds with respect to theskin, the scalp and the hair is a rather strong fat removing action,which is responsible of a number of drawbacks which to date have notbeen satisfactorily solved.

In fact, an extreme fat removing effect causes an objectionablestimulation of the sebum secretion, the more frequent is the use of thesaid preparation the higher is secretion, with the attendant requirementof even more frequent washings.

It is thus possible that a vicious circle is set up which at the veryend may induce and/or make worse seborrhea status, with the attendantweakening and possibility of hair fall, undesired irritated layers ofthe scalp and of the skin being thus formed. These serious andacknowledged drawbacks are furthermore accompanied by aestheticallyundesired features, which are only partially relieved by the presence ofother ingredients in the formulation of the subject preparations.

The problem essentially faced by the present invention is that ofproviding a preparation for the hygiene and the cleaning of the skin,the scalp and the hair, the efficacy of which is not based on thecleaning-fat removing action of a detergent compound, particularly of adetergent compound of ionic type, whereby the normal processes of sebumsecretion are not altered.

Such a problem is solved according to the invention by means of apreparation for the hygiene and the cleaning of the skin, scalp andhair, comprising as a weight percent of the total weight of thepreparation, 5 to 10% of an emulsifying agent and 0.5 to 5% of athickening agent, the latter consisting or orgaic substances capable offorming with water gels or colloidal solutions.

The problem of the hygiene and cleaining of skin, scalp and hair hasbeen and is very important and the prior art is crowded with suggestionsfor dealing therewith.

The emulsifying agents, particularly of the non ionic type, were used inthe prior art in detergent compositions as well as in cosmeticpreparation.

The thickening agents capable of forming, in the presence of water, gelsand colloidal solutions, were also well known and used in the prior art.

For instance U.K. Patent 957,157 relates to cosmetic compositions in gelform, wherein a high molecular weight carboxyvinyl resin is added to asolution and then gelified; before the addition of the solution asurface active agent (for instance a non ionic agent, such apolyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate or palmitate) is added to promotethe wetting of the resin and thus the swelling thereof.

The carboxyvinyl resin is thus used in order to bring the prparation tothe state of a gel.

The U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,395 provides hair grooming preparations whereinorganic esters, such as those formed by polyoxyalkylene and/or alkyleneglycols with fatty acids, are used to promote the solubilization ofsodium carboxymethylcellulose.

Besides these ingredients, the subject preparations moreover compriselower aliphatic alcohols, rubefacients, germicidal agents and perfumeoils.

The French published application No. 2,358,877 relates to hairshampooing non ionic compositions with non ionic components, comprisingthe following ingredients:

(1) water soluble foaming or foam stabilizing agents, preferablytrialkylamine oxides.

(2) Non-ionic surface active agents, preferably monoesters of fattyacids with polyoxyethylene hexitan derivatives (e.g. polyoxyethylenesorbitane).

(3) Non-ionic detergents, such as alkoxypolyethylene ethanols and/oralkylglycosides or their mixtures.

Instead of the component (3) foam stabilizers and viscosity controllingagents can be used such as alkanolamides of fatty acids and thickeningagents, such as polyamylamides.

Further non-ionic substances can be added to the basic formulation, suchas thickening agents (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose), dyeing agents,perfumes, lubrificants etc., provided that the desired cleaning effectsis attributed to the above three main ingredients.

The French Patent Application No. 2,323,375 relates to a basecomposition for the formulation of perfumes, creams lotions, handcleaning preparations, which compositions comprises as the essentialingredient the product resulting from the thermal condensation of acarboxypolyvinyl polymer, which is heated for 2 minutes to a temperatureof between 204° and 315° C.

The said essential ingredient, upon admiwing with water, gives place toa gel which can be added with other ingredients as dyeing agents,surface active agents (e.g. oxyethylates of fatty amines, such astriethanolammonium stearate), emulsifying agents (e.g. polyoxyethylenederivatives of partial esters of a fatty acid and the sorbitananhydride), and the like.

The European Patent Application No. 0067025 relates to liquid cleansingproducts comprising:

(a) a thickening agent, such as guar gum or the correspondinghydroxypropyl derivative, in an amount of 0.1 to 1%;

(b) a further thickening agent, selected among the carboxyvinyl polymersor their derivatives, such as polyacrylic acid cross-linked with 1% ofpolyallyl sucrose, in an amount of 0.15 to 1%;

(c) a surface active agent in an amount of 5 to 30%, of the watersoluble type and selected among cationic, anionic, non ionic, amphotericand zwitterionic compounds.

As it shall appear from the following detailed description of thepresent invention, the purpose thereof is that of providing anefficacious cleaning action, without the undesirable drawbacks aspreviously mentioned.

Such a purpose is achieved by means of a mixture of only two types, ofcompounds which per se are not endowed in a significant manner with sucha property and without the presence of glycerides or oils which arenormally used to promote the emulsifying and/or cleaning action ofcompositions for the cleaning of skin (such as for instance in thecleaning milks).

According to the present invention the emulsifying agent useful in thepreparation of the invention is a non ionic emulsifying agent having aHLB emulsifying power (Hydrophil-Liophil Balance) preferably of between10 and 19, and selected in the group comprising:

polyoxyethylenethers of higher alcohols having 10 to 40 and, preferably,15 to 25 oxyethylene groups. Examples of suitable higher alcoholspreferably containing 12 to 18 carbon atoms comprise lauryl, myristylcetyl, stearyl, oleyl alcohols and cholesterol;

polyoxyethylenesters of fatty acids, having 20 to 100, preferably 20 to40, oxyethylene groups. Examples of useful and preferred fatty acids,preferably containing 12 to 18 carbon atoms are lauric, myristic,cetylic, stearic, oleic, ricinoileic acids;

polyoxyethylensorbitan esters of fatty acids, heaving 10 to 30,preferably 15 to 20 oxyethylene groups. The preferred fatty acids ofabove identified are those above referred to;

glycerides and mixtures of glycerides of fatty acids, partiallyetherified with polyoxyethylene groups;

saccharose esters with the fatty acids of the above listed types;

polyols, for instance sorbitol, mannitol and the like, condensed andpropylene with ethylene oxide;

their mixtures.

Examples of thickening agents, useful in the preparation of the presentinvention, both of vegetal origin and synthetically prepared, comprisealginic acid, and salts and esters thereof, carrageen, pectin, arabicgum, guar gum, tragacauth gum, cellulose derivatives, such as forinstance and preferably carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose,ethylcellulose, dioxypropylcellulose, and carboxyvinyl polymerscommercially known as Carbopol and their mixtures.

In the related art it is well known that the emulsifying agents of theafore said types have no efficacy or show only a limited effect asregards the removal of fat, sebum, and of other impurities from theskin, the scalp and the hair. It is mainly due to the fact that theseagents have a limited emulsifying power and the emulsions preparedtherewith are of very reduced stability and duration. Consequently, theemulsified substances (sebum, fat and the like impurities) are depositedagain on the skin and on the hair in very short times.

It is also known is this art that the thickening agents selected amongthe afore mentioned substances are fully unsuitable from the point ofview of the hygiene and of the cleaning effect towards the skin, thescalp and the hair.

Owing to the simultaneous presence in the preparation according to theinvention of such an emulsifying agent, and of such a thickening agent,the emulsifying power is relevantly increased with respect to that ofthe emulsifying agent or agents, if used per se, and the stability andduration of the thus obtained emulsions are increased. These emulsionscan thereafter be removed as such by mean, of a simple water rinsing,whereby the cleaning action of the preparation of the invention takesplace in a mild and delicate manner.

The main feature is that a modeste amount of sebum and/or of fattysubstances is retained on the skin and on the scalp, which isphysiologically requested for the protection, thus preventing irritatingon reactive conditions from possibly occurring. As a matter of fact,both agents (emulsifying and thickening) which are simultaneouslypresent in the preparation according to the invention, give place to asynergic action, with respect to each other and with respect to thesolubilization of fatty substances, sebum and other possible impurities,as well as with respect to their removal from the skin, the scalp andthe hair.

It is to be noticed that all the above mentioned compounds, which can beused either alone or in combination as the emulsifying or thickeningagents in the preparation according to the invention, are readilycommercially available and were known as being very well tolerated,whereby, as it is well known, they are commonly used in the preparationof skin creams, also for extended use.

A preparation according to the invention is advantageously prepared as aformulation of almost solid consistency, for example creams or gels, orwith a liquid consistency such as lotions and milks. Of course, in theformulations of the preparations according to the invention,conventional auxiliary ingredients can be used for gel formulations. Forthe lotions, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, propylenglycol and waterare normally used.

Of course, in the formulations of preparations according to theinvention also preserving agents and perfumes can be used, when desired.

For the manufacturing of the preparations of the present invention, thetechniques and methods, as conventionally known in the related art, canbe used.

The preparations, of the present invention are used essentially in thesame manner as the normal shampooings, soaps, foam baths and other likecleaning compositions.

Some examples of formulations of the preparations according to thepresent invention are hereinafter reported, only ofr illustrativepurpose and without limiting meaning.

    ______________________________________                                        Example 1            Cream                                                    ______________________________________                                        Sodium alginate      2%                                                       polyoxyethylenlaurylether                                                                          7%                                                       cetyl alcohol        1.5%                                                     preserving agent     as needed                                                water                as needed to 100 g                                       ______________________________________                                    

The sodium alginate and the preservant are dissolved in water at 75° C.The polyoxyethlenlaurylether and the cetyl alcohol are separatelyadmixed by heating to 75° C. The two phases are combined by stirring ina planetary mixer and the mixture is cooled under stirring.

    ______________________________________                                        Example 2            Gel                                                      ______________________________________                                        Carboxyvinyl polymer 2%                                                       polyoxyethylenoleylether 20                                                                        8%                                                       propylene glycol     5%                                                       preserving agent     as needed                                                water                as needed to 100 g                                       ______________________________________                                    

All the ingredients are dissolved in water at 75° C., and the mixture isstirred and cooled under stirring.

    ______________________________________                                        Example 3             Milk                                                    ______________________________________                                        Carboxymethylcellulose                                                                              1%                                                      polyoxyethylenated ricinoleic                                                                       9%                                                      glyceride 40                                                                  polyoxyethylen cholesterol 24                                                                       1.5%                                                    preserving agents     as needed                                               water                 as needed to 100 g                                      ______________________________________                                    

Carboxymethylcellulose and the preservant are dissolved in water at 75°C. The polyoxyethylenated ricinoleic glyceride, and the polyoxyethylenecholesterol are separately admixed and heated to 75° C. The two phasesare combined under stirring and the mixture is cooled under stirring.

    ______________________________________                                        Example 4          Lotion                                                     ______________________________________                                        Arabic gum         1.5%                                                       Polyoxyethylensorbitanmonolaurate                                                                7%                                                         polyethylenglycol 400                                                                            5%                                                         ethyl alcohol      10%                                                        perfume            as needed                                                  water              the amount needed to 100 g.                                ______________________________________                                    

Arabic gum, polyoxyethylensorbitan monolaurate and polyethylene glycolare dissolved in water at 75° C. under stirring. The mixture is cooledand then the ethyl alcohol and the perfume are added.

The good local tolerability and particularly the absence of irritatingaction of the preparations according to the invention have beenconfirmed from the results of the following experiments.

A preparation according o the present invention and having theformulation of example 1 has been tested in rabbits in comparison with apreparation according to the prior art having the following composition:

    ______________________________________                                        Comparison example                                                            ______________________________________                                        Sodium laurylethersulphate                                                                      5 g                                                         alkylamides of fatty acids                                                                      5 g                                                         ethoxylated lanoline                                                                            as needed                                                   water             the amount needed to 100 g.                                 ______________________________________                                    

For the experiments two albine rabbits were used, having a body weightof about 3 kg, which were fed in a conventional manner.

The rabbits were treated with the test preparations, diluted to a 10%concentration with water, by daily frictioning (for 5 days per week) theright and left rear parts. The checking, operations as carried outweekly for two weeks, were directed to the assessing of the skinirritation state and the hair control. The following results wereobserved:

(A) Rabbit treated with the preparation of the prior art.

At the first checking time a strong irritation of the skin as well as arelevant hair loss was assessed, the hair being detached by tufts. Atthe second weekly control, the persistency of the irritation wasassessed, it being however reduced in comparison with that of thepreceeding control. The hair loss wass essentially total (the skin wasdevoid of hair).

(B) Rabbit treated with the preparation of example 1 of the invention.

No irritation of the skin and no hair loss were observed for both theweekly controls.

I claim:
 1. In aqueous preparations for hygenic uses and, cleaning ofskin, scalp and hair, selected from the group consisting of:(a) about 5to about 10% of an emulsifying agent, and having an HLB emulsifyingpower of between 10 and 19; and (b) about 0.5 to about 5% of athickening agent capable of forming gels and colloidal solutions in thepresence of water, wherein the preparations provide a mild and delicatecleaning action, non-irritating to the skin, have a low tendency toremove fat and a reduced tendency for stimulation of sebum secretion,the improvement wherein said preparations are specifically selected fromthe group consisting of a milk having the composition:(a) 1.0%carboxymethylcellulose, (b) 9.0% polyoxyethylated ricinoleic glyceride40; (c) 1.5% polyoxyethylene cholesterol 24, and (d) the remainderwater; a cream containing:(a) 2.0% sodium alginate, (b) 7.0%polyoxethylene laurylether, (c) 1.5% cetyl alcohol, (d) the remainderwater; and a lotion containing: (a) 1.5% arabic gum, (b) 7.0%polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, (c) 5.0% polyethyleneglycol 400,(d) 10.0% ethyl alcohol, and (e) the remainder water.
 2. The aqueouspreparations according to claim 1, additionally including preservingagents.
 3. The aqueous preparations according to claim 1, additionallycontaining perfumery agents.
 4. The aqueous preparations according toclaim 1, made by a process wherein the carboxymethylcellulose andpreserving agents are dissolved in water at about 75° C.; separatelyadmixing and heating said polyoxyethylenated ricinoleic glyceride andthe polyoxyethylene cholesterol; combining the resulting two phases toform a mixture; and agitating and cooling said mixture.
 5. A method forcleaning human skin comprising the steps of:applying to the skin, hairor scalp a substantially aqueous preparation in cream, gel, milk orlotion form containing preserving agents and consisting essentiallyof:about 1.0% carboxymethylcellulose about 9.0% polyoxyethylatedricinoleic glyceride; about 1.5% polyoxyethylene cholesterol 24; and thebalance being water; and removing said preparation; and wherein thethickening agent combines with the emulsifying agent to produce asynergistic action improving the solubilization of fatty substances,sebum other impurities present on said skin, hair and scalp.
 6. In themethod of claim 5, wherein said aqueous preparation is in the form of amilk and consists of:about 1.0% carboxymethylcellulose; about 9.0%polyoxyethylated ricinoleic glyceride 40; about 1.5% polyoxyethylenechloresterol 24; and the balance water.
 7. In the method of claim 5,including the steps of making said preparation by dissolvingcarboxymethylcellulose and preserving agents in water at about 75° C.;separately admixing and heating a polyoxyethylenated ricinoleicglyceride 40 and the polyoxyethylene chloresterol; combining theresulting two phases to form a mixture, agitating and cooling saidmixture.